Perforated hardboard



Feb. 2S, i967 H. G. NICKEL PERFORATED HARDBOARD Filed May 23, 1966 iNvENTOR HAL G. NICKEL ATTORNEY Brookfield, Wis. 53005 Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 551,996 9 Claims. (Cl. 248-225) My invention relates generally to perforated hardboard, and more particularly to a perforated wallboard which is especially channeled to provide functional and decorative advantages heretofore unavailable in perforated wallboard.

Accordingly, a principal object of my invention is to provide a new perforated wallboard which is not only attractive in appearance, but is also very practical when installed for use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a perforated wallboard which may be easily installed and which is readily adaptable for use with s-tandard hooks or hanger units of diverse design and which will retain such hooks or hanger units when installed, in a fixed position relative to the board.

A still further object is to provide an improved wallboard having channels or grooves extending horizontally and vertically therein to define a plurality of rectangular panel sections which cooperate to accommodate c-onventional hooks and hangers associated therewith while effectively hiding those perforations having no hooks or hangers associated therewith.

The conventional perforated hardboard or Peg-Board as it is known, while being servicable, lacks decorative, attractive and serviceable features which are obtainable by the hardboard herein described, illustrated and claimed.

With the new and Yimproved perforated wallboard of my invention, it is possible to use conventional hook supports but the board has the unique facility to hold such supports and prevent them from being angularly displaced when used to support articles in the manner for which they are intended. Further, my novel board eliminates the need to use the special double-pronged hooks which are being promoted to improve stability.

Thes-e and still further objects of my invention as shall hereinafter appear are fulfilled by the present invention in a remarkably unexpected fashion as will be readily discerned from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal elevation, partially broken away for clarity, of a sheet of perforated hardboard embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 2--2 in FIG. 1; l

FIG. 3 is another cross-sectional view taken in the plane of FIG. 2 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a frontal elevation of another perforated hardboard embodying the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken at the line S-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 6 6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional View of the board of FIG. 1 especially illustrating the novel coaction between the board and a wire support employed therewith; and

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing how the board embodying the present invention coacts with a hanger to prevent its displacement.

Referring to the drawing, wherein similar characters of reference are employed to indicate like features throughout the several views, the character 10 4is used 3,306,564 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 tice 2 lto identify a conventional perforated hardboard. As ap'- parent in FIG. 1, hardboard 10 comprises a body portion or sheet 11 of hardboard having a frontal surface 12 and a rear surface 13 which, when sheet 11 is of uniform thickness, are generally parallel to each other.

Into and through sheet 11 are defined, as by drilling, punching or cutting and the like, a plurality of apertures 14. Normally, these apertures 14 are so spaced as to provide a plurality of generally parallel lines (vertically relative to the drawing) and a plurality of tgenerally parallel ranks (horizontally relative to the drawing) in the sheet 11.

In one practice of the invention, a first plurality of channels or grooves 15 are defined in said frontal surface 12 in parallel spaced relationship t-o each other. As shown in thedrawing, each of the grooves is provided with a width substantially equal to the diameter of the apertures 14 and is centered axially along the center lines of apertures in a given line of holes. Each groove 15 is thus positioned parallel to each other groove 15 and, in a preferred practice of the invention, the distance between adjacent grooves will be substantially identical.

The depth of grooves 15 is preferably about one-half of the thickness of sheet 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and so aligned, as indicated above, so that apertures 14 literally.

come out of the bottom of the channels or grooves 15.

When the b-oard is provided only with grooves 15 in the lines of apertures 14, the frontal or top surface 12 of sheet 11 is subdivided into a plurality of elongated vertical panels 16, see FIGS. l and 8.

In FIG. 3, a variation of my grooves 15 is shown wherein the upper portion 17 thereof is I'outwardly tapered or chamfered and merges into surface 12 at this angle.

Another embodiment of my invention and, in practice, my preferred embodiment for many applications is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and compris-es, inter alia, a second plurality of grooves 18 which also are provided with a width substantially identical to the diameter of apertures 14. The essential difference between -grooves 18 and grooves 15 arises from their relative position in frontal surface 12 since grooves 18 are aligned with and centered upon the generally parallel ranks o-f apertures or holes 14, defined in the manner already described.

Grooves 18 may also be tapered in the same manner as groove 15, if desired. Grooves 18, in preferred practice, will be equispaced from each adjacent groove 18 and will intersect grooves 15 at right angles and coact therewith to divide surface 12 into a plurality of rectangular sections 19. Obviously, when the space between grooves 1'5 and the space between grooves 18 is constant, rectangular sections 19 will be square as shown in FIG. 4. The actual configuration of section 19 is essentially a matter of aesthetics and therefore may be varied as desired.

When my board is provided `only with the first set of channel-s 15, the board will be installed so that channels are vertically disposed. When my board is provided with both a first plurality of grooves 15 and a second plurality of grooves 18, the board may be installed with either set of lgrooves being vertical, thereby providing even greater flexibility of application.

When installed in the manner indicated, the board will be used as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as shall now be described.

As slrown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a support 20 is installed by passing its hook portion 21 through aperture 14 into engagement with rear surface 13. The vertical shank 22 of support 20 is nested intothe recess of channel 15 and engaged and held by the sides of channel 15 which prevent support 20 from tilting or otherwise being laterally displaced. The supporting portion 23 thus extends firmly outwardly to `support whatever the user desires to support thereupon.

From the above, it is apparent that a new and improved hardboard has been herein described and illustrated which has a distinct advantage over the present art, which fulfills all of the aforestated objects in a remarkably unexpected fashion, and which (performs a purpose and function not heretofore displayed. Although I have shown a specific construction and arrangement of the features constituting my invention, it is of course understood that such modifications, alterations and applications as may occur to the artisan confronted with this disclosure are intended within the spirit hereof, especially as it is defined by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. A perforated hardboard comprising: a sheet of hardboard having a frontal and a rear surface; a plurality of apertures systematically defined in and through said sheet and defining therewith a plurality of generally parallel lines and ranks of holes therein; a first plurality of grooves defined in said frontal surface of said sheet in parallel spaced relationship to each other, each of said grooves having a width, equal to the diameter of said apertures and being centered upon the apertures of a respective one of said lines of holes.

2. A perforated hardboard according to claim 1 in which each of said grooves has outwardly tapering upper portions adjacent to and merging with said frontal surface of said sheet.

3. A perforated hardboard according to claim 1 in which a second plurality of grooves are defined in said frontal surface of said sheet in parallel spaced relationship to each other, each of said grooves havin-g a width equal to the diameter of said apertures and being centered upon the apertures of a respective one of said ranks of holes.

4. A perforated hardboard, according to lclaim 3, in which each fof said grooves has outwardly tapering upper portions adjacent to and merging with said frontal surface of said sheet.

5. A perforated hardboard according to claim 2 in which adjacent ones of said first plurality of grooves are equispaced from each other.

6. A perforated hardboard according to claim 3 in which adjacent ones of said second plurality of grooves are equispaced from each other.

7. A perforated hardboard according to claim 6 in which adjacent ones of said first plurality of grooves are equispaced from each other.

S. A perforated hardboard according to claim 7 in which said first plurality of grooves interconnect said second plurality of grooves at right angles and define a plurality of rectangular sections therebetween.

9. A perforated hardboard according to claim 8 in which each of said rectangular sections are square.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1952 Roman 24S- 223 12/1963 Alvarez 24S- 223 

1. A PERFORATED HARDBOARD COMPRISING: A SHEET OF HARDBOARD HAVING A FRONTAL AND A REAR SURFACE; A PLURALITY OF APERTURES SYSTEMATICALLY DEFINED IN AND THROUGH SAID SHEET AND DEFINING THEREWITH A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY PARALLEL LINES AND RANKS OF HOLES THEREIN; A FIRST PLURALITY OF GROOVES DEFINED IN SAID FRONTAL SURFACE OF SAID SHEET IN PARELLEL SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID GROOVES HAVING A WIDTH, EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID APERTURES AND BEING CENTERED UPON THE APERTURES OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID LINES OF HOLES. 